The connection would be for $$ purposes. Thanks for the comments, especially on the conservative, religious flavor. I really want to stay in the South. I was on my way (with $) to provisionally accredited Jones, which is a Church of Christ school with that same kind of taste I'd rather avoid. I'm thinking Mississippi College would have less of it.

I would be very hesitant to go to a provisionally approved law school. As I understand it, provisional approval means that the school will likely gain full ABA approval, but there is no guarantee. If you went to a school that failed to get ABA approval, you would not even be allowed to join the bar in most states.

For that reason alone, I would take the already accredited school in a heartbeat.

If he wants to practice in AL he can sit from the bar even from a non-accredited law school. But yeah, I agree with you in general.

The connection would be for $$ purposes. Thanks for the comments, especially on the conservative, religious flavor. I really want to stay in the South. I was on my way (with $) to provisionally accredited Jones, which is a Church of Christ school with that same kind of taste I'd rather avoid. I'm thinking Mississippi College would have less of it.

I would be very hesitant to go to a provisionally approved law school. As I understand it, provisional approval means that the school will likely gain full ABA approval, but there is no guarantee. If you went to a school that failed to get ABA approval, you would not even be allowed to join the bar in most states.

For that reason alone, I would take the already accredited school in a heartbeat.

Wait..

I was told that if you attend a provisional approved school, and during your tenure the school loses its ABA status, Students WILL still enjoy the same benefits of those attending an ABA school. Basically, once you are accepted and begin attending an ABA provisional school, you are an ABA student.

I would be hesitant to attend a school trying to get ABA approval WHILE you ara matriculating student. If the school does NOT have provisional ABA approval before you attend, chances are slim that it will have it by the time you graduate.

i believe you are correct regarding the accreditation. if you attend a provisionally accredited law school, you have the full rights to take the bar as going to an accredited law school. however, i do not know what exactly happens if your school loses accreditation while applying or attending...

The connection would be for $$ purposes. Thanks for the comments, especially on the conservative, religious flavor. I really want to stay in the South. I was on my way (with $) to provisionally accredited Jones, which is a Church of Christ school with that same kind of taste I'd rather avoid. I'm thinking Mississippi College would have less of it.

I would be very hesitant to go to a provisionally approved law school. As I understand it, provisional approval means that the school will likely gain full ABA approval, but there is no guarantee. If you went to a school that failed to get ABA approval, you would not even be allowed to join the bar in most states.

For that reason alone, I would take the already accredited school in a heartbeat.

Wait..

I was told that if you attend a provisional approved school, and during your tenure the school loses its ABA status, Students WILL still enjoy the same benefits of those attending an ABA school. Basically, once you are accepted and begin attending an ABA provisional school, you are an ABA student.

I would be hesitant to attend a school trying to get ABA approval WHILE you ara matriculating student. If the school does NOT have provisional ABA approval before you attend, chances are slim that it will have it by the time you graduate.

i believe you are correct regarding the accreditation. if you attend a provisionally accredited law school, you have the full rights to take the bar as going to an accredited law school. however, i do not know what exactly happens if your school loses accreditation while applying or attending...

Same thing. Your degree is fully accredited even if the school loses its ABA status while you attend. That counts even if you choose to attend a school that's on probationary status with the ABA.

i believe you are correct regarding the accreditation. if you attend a provisionally accredited law school, you have the full rights to take the bar as going to an accredited law school. however, i do not know what exactly happens if your school loses accreditation while applying or attending...

Same thing. Your degree is fully accredited even if the school loses its ABA status while you attend. That counts even if you choose to attend a school that's on probationary status with the ABA.

I dont think this is correct. My understanding is that if you graduate while the school is under the provisional accreditation but the school happens to lose its provisional accreditation after you graduate, then your degree is still safe because you have graduated from an ABA accredited law school (at the time of your graduation at least).

However, if the school loses its accreditation while you are attending (not graduated), then your JD would be from a non-accredited law school. Attending while accredited means nothing.

Read the fine print. I believe all provisionally accredited law school informs its applicant that the "same rights as fully accredited law school" applies to "graduates of the provisionally accredited law school," which does not equal currently attending student.

If the school looses accreditation while attending, even if you still get an accreditated degree, would you not be concerned about the stigma of having graduated from a school that was clearly on the decline according to the ABA? I would say to stick with the already accreditated school, but that is just my opinion. Good luck which ever you choose

Astro is exactly right on this point. The ABA does not seek to punish the student in any way as it relates to accreditation. Thus, if the student enters an ABA accredited school (whether provisional or full), that student will enjoy all of the rights and privileges of any other law student at an ABA accredited school. This holds true even if the school ends up losing its accreditation somehow. By the way, I've been told that it is VERY difficult for a school to outright lose accreditation. I think Barry was on the brink a few years ago, and now I believe they're fully accredited.

Shakedown's point regarding stigma is well taken. But in the end, a JD and a bar license will still open a lot of doors.

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